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Charges against area man dropped

By Christine Haines 2 min read

REDSTONE TWP. – All charges against a Tower Hill 2 man who had been run over while being pursued by police were dismissed Tuesday when the arresting officer failed to show for the hearing. Charles Richard Opel had been charged with possession of a controlled substance, driving under suspension and driving without a license, registration or insurance.

The charges stemmed from a traffic stop March 4, 2004, in Cardale by then-Redstone Township police officer Ken Bittinger.

Bittinger attempted to pick up Opel on the charges during a Fayette County District Attorney’s Drug Task Force sweep in February.

Opel was running from his stalled vehicle in a snow-covered alley when he was run over by the four-wheel-drive police vehicle Bittinger was operating.

The incident resulted in Bittinger’s suspension from the drug task force after he failed to notify the district attorney’s office that Opel had been injured.

There was also a delay in an investigation of the incident.

District Attorney Nancy Vernon said she asked state police to investigate the accident.

Police said Bittinger told them he would handle the investigation, although it had occurred in Luzerne Township, where he was not employed.

State police investigated the case and determined that Opel was run over accidentally. Bittinger has not been reinstated to the drug task force.

Tuesday’s preliminary hearing was delayed nearly an hour due to other hearings, but when the arresting officer still had not appeared, Opel’s attorney, Samuel Davis, requested that the charges be dismissed, and Magisterial District Judge Mike Defino agreed.

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